Animal trap



, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 15

potentieel July 13, 19.2

usarse Jenn WESLEY vein, on Annen, onto.

ANEMAL TRAP.

Application filed January l5, l92.

This invention relates to traps and more tially embedded in the ground so that ani` mals may readily pass into the trap through entrances disposed 'close to the ground.

Another object oii the invention is to so construct the trap that an animal entering;` the trap will be directed onto atrap door andthe weight of the animal cause the trap door to be swung` downwardly and precipitate the animal into the bottoni oi the housing.

Another object ot the invention is to providethe housing` o1" the trap with opposed entrances to communicate with interrupted portions of an animal runway 'so that animals moving along;- the runway in either direct-ion may readily enter the housing' and be precipitated into the lower portion ot the housing through the medium of the trap doors. n

Another object of the invention is to provide improved bait holders disposed adjacent the inner ends of tunnels leading inwardly from the entrances so that the animals will be enticed into the trap by the bait but may not reach the bait.

Another' object of the invention is torsoy mount the bait holders that access to them may be had through a single. opening- `formed in the top ot the trap and normally closed by a door adapted to be removably held in a closed position. y

Another object of the invention. is to produce a trap which may be formed or' sheet metal and will be light in weight and at the same time strong` and durable and permitted to be buried in the. ground without injury to 'the material from which the trap is formed.

rlhis invention is villustrated in the ao eompanying drawings, wherein `Figure l is a perspective view showing* the improved trap ready for use;

Fig. 'Q is a Vlongitudinal sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l;

3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig, Q; n v

Figi tis a fragmentary sectional view through onelcfoiner portion ot the housing` along the line ot Fig. lsandVv Fig. 5 is a' perspective view ol one of the baitr holders.

The 'housing or casing which is indicated Serial No. 81,513.

in general by the numerall is formed of Asheet metal whichinaybe `salvanized iron orany other metal wliichvfill not readily corrodc or rust. The side walls Q are joined to lthe end walls r3 by flanges l vrtliroi'igg'h which rivets or other suitable fasteners' are passed and the bottom 6 upon which the side and end walls rest is Yformed with mar` ginal flanges Tient-ended upwardly .in overlapping relation to lthe walls and secured thereto by rivets or other suitable fasteners 8. rPheV top 9 .is also provided with marinal lianges lO which extend downwardly in overlapping relation to the side andjend walls randV are secured theretov by rivets il.

llhile it stated that the walls and top and bottom are preferably formed from separate strips ol sheet metalhaviirq` flanges through which jllasteners pass, it Iwill he understood that if ldesired the walls could he formed from a single strip suitably bent to form a housing; of the desired dimensions and the top and bottom joined to them or formed from side extensions of the blank from which the walls arelorined.` Each of the end walls 3 ris formed in its upper endy portion and intermediate its width with an opening` l2 which 'constitutes an inlet through which the animals to be entrapped will pass. By having" the openings l2 formed in the upper portion of the end walls, f

the body or easing may be embedded in' the f groundf as shown in l, and the openings will be close to the surface of theeground so that., il the trap is embedded in the lground 'intern'iediate the length ot' an animal runopposite sides or the openings l2. The bot-- toni 1S of each tunnelis in the torni of e trap door hingedly connectedwith the hori- Zontall7 disposed ledge y19 of a braelret 20 secured to the end wall and extending inwardly theretroinat the/lower edge of the inlet opening. ,The trap doors are of greater width thlanthe tunnelslas shown in Fig. 3, and project beyond the inner walls A, as

shown 'in FigY 'l`lierefore7 the' platform lll) lll

l' s abutting engagement with the lower edges oi' the side and inner e id vii-...ls o? die tunnels and are prei/'entei oin moving' upwardly beyond a horizontal position. Springs 2l are suspended trom eyes ried by the top 9 at opposite sides tunnels "l these springs have hei' ends er -il i' ged with the projected corne;V tions ot the t'ap doors and serve to inally retain the trap doors in an position. lflllien, however, an

.znttieient weight enters a` tunnel il along the trap door towards its inner the weight ot' the animal will overcome elle `i .f i l. aetlon ot the springs and the trap dooi i( i e i f v -1`|` 1 l be sv. ung dov. nwaioly, as it dott-ed lines in f2, so ilA will be precipitated. into the over portio readily enter and leave the tunne springs applied to the trap doors I too strong' or too weak to permit ot' being' used tor animals ot' a certain size or species, the)v may be removed and others ot an appropriate strength substituted.

It is desired to provide bait in order to lnre the animali, into the tunnels and it `farther desired to prevent the animals 'troni having access to the bait and consuming the saine. Therefore. Lhere has been pro- 7ided bait boxes S which are preferably Jformed o1c sheet metal and each oit which is provided with a` top or closure 2li hinged to the body ol the bait box, as shown at and releasabij." held closed with its flanges Q6 extending downware ly in overlapping relation to the side walls ot the body. ln the present illustration the doors Closures 24- are held in the closed position by hooks 27 pivotally secured to the depending torward flanges ot' the closures and adapted to be swung into engagement. with lips 2S struck outwardly from the front walls ot the bait boxes. An opening is termed in. the top 9 of the housing intermediate the inner ends ot the tunnels so that ready access may be had to the bait boxes and this opening is normally closed by a door 230 hinged to the top. as shown at $31, and adapted lo be se cured in a closed position by a latch 32 secured to the :tree end of the door and adapted to engage a keeper 33 mounted upon the top 9. llhen the door 30 is opened bait which is suitable to attract the animals it is desired to catch is placed in the bait boxes and the doors 24C closed and. Secured. Each i 'formed in the inner walls ot the tunnel ab ve the bait boxes and, therefore, altb" the animals may smell the l .oagn cannotreaeh the same when they enter th tnnnels or after they have been precipitated into the body ot' the housing and, there tore, the bait will not be consumed. r.the animals niay be removed from the trap throw 'lN the openino' 29 with the trap reina' g embedded in the ground or the trap may be litted 'troni the pit in which it is resting and the animals removed through an opening formed in a lower corner portion ot one oi the end walls and normally closed by a door 37. rlhe door 37 is hingedlj.' nionntec, as shown at 38, so that it ma)Y be openen and closed and is releasably hel.r closed by a latch 39 carried by the door and adapted to engage a keeper #l0 scoured to the end wall, shown in Figs. l and el. 'filiere has also been provided a handle 4l, by means ot' which the trap may be readily lifted and carried. 1t will thus be .seen that the trap will be light in weight but strong and durable and very etlicientin its Operation.

Having thus described the invention, I

bait they el aim l. A trap comprising a housing including a bottom, a top, and walls connecting said top and bottom, opposed portions of said walls being formed with inlet openings to re ter with portions ot an animal runway when the housing is embedded in the ground 'lroni its bottom to approximately the lower ot the inlet openings, ledges extending inwardly jrom the lower edges ot said inlet openings, 'tunnels extending inwardly troni the opposed wall portions about said inlet openings and each having a bottom pivotally connected with a cooperating ledge and yieldably held in a raised substantially horizontal position and adapt-ed to be swung downwardly by the weight ot an animal and drop the animal into said housing, baitholding ineens in said housing adjacent the inner ends ot said tunnels and visible through the openings in their inner walls, the top ot said housing having an opening formed therein intermediate the inner ends ot said tunnels tor communication with the interior ot the housing and access to said bait-holding means, one wall portion being termed with an opening adjacent the bottom ot the housing, and Closures movable into and out of closing relation to the lastmentioned wall opening and opening in the top of the housing.

i2, A. trap eoniprsing a housing including a bottom, a top, and Walls connecting said top and bottom, one Wall having an inlet openingforined therein adjacent its upper end, a ledge extending inwardly from the lower edge of said opening, a tunnel in said housing having an inner end Wall and side Walls extending therefrom and secured to the top of said housing andy to the Wall thereof at. opposite sides of the inlet opening formed therein, a trap door hinged to said ledge and forming a drop bottoni for said tunnel and having portions extending from the side Walls of the tunnel at the inner end thereof, springs suspended in said housing and engaged With the extended side portions of said trap door to yielda-bly retain the same in a raised position, a bait box secured to the inner face of the end Wall of said tunnel and having afclosure door provided with a perforated portion, the inner Wall of said tunnel having a perforated portion above said bait box and said housing having an opening for access to said bait box and the interior of the housing, and a closure for the last-mentioned opening movable into and out of a closed position.

A trap comprising a vhousing including a bottom, side and end Walls, anda top,

said end Walls being formed with openings to-provide inlets, brackets secured against the inner faces. of said end Walls and having ledge portions extending inwardly of the body at the lower edges of said inlet openings, tunnels extending longitudinallyrv in .said housing and each'having side walls ledge portion ofeach bracket and constituting bottoms for said tunnels, springs suspended in said housing and engaged with the inner ends of said trap doors at the sides thereof and yieldably supporting ythe trap doors, bait boxes secured against the inner faces of said inner tunnel Walls 'below the perfor-ations formed therein and each including a receptacle and a closure for the upper end thereof'movable into and out of closed position and having a perforatedi portion, said housing having an opening between the` inner ends of said tunnels for aecess to said bait boxes and the interior of ,n

the housing, and a closure for the vlast mentioned opening said housing movable intoand out of a closed positoin y In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

i JOHN WESLEY vA-IL. [L 5.] 

